Friday, July 23, 2010

2000-Zen

I remember the first time the microphone I ever gripped
years ago now, but like yesterday remember it
the benefit of experience, lackin it
still poetically attackin it, I spit rhymes immaculate
nervous as hell, still I held it with the power grip
the beat was like a meal, I devoured it
far from being powerless
and tho I was afraid, as the music played on,
I stayed strong and I overcame my cowardice
feeling that connection as I looked out in the audience
heads bobbin-and, I knew I had to come correct
every time, in every single line if I wanted respect
and that’s something I’ma never forget
every time I picked up the mic, I got stronger
delivery harder, freestyles longer
used to get lifted by smoking marijuana
now I stay gifted, spittin’ what I wanna
more like I got-ta
hip-hoppa core Bambaata
slayin the track like manslaughta
touching my mic, told you not-ta
how u gonna hold a candle up to the sun, you got nadda
word to Big L, 2pac, and Big Poppa
rap’s in the blood in my veins, not the watered
down versions that you be hearing, domineering
on the radio-waves interfering with the culture

Ain’t no time to pretend, it’s 2010
My man FELN it’s 2000-Zen
So we create Zen in 2010
2000-Zen ‘till forever

So I grab mics, and I hold them
silver tongues make way for the golden
they say many called so few are chosen
well I’m both - competition gets frozen
I’ve awoken, yes awakened
to another level, higher elevation
I am the origin of my own creation
fuck change, I cause transformation
you can call it abstract, you can have that
chump-change, you don’t know where my math’s at
I’m like Moses, my mic’s where my staff’s at
I’m like appearances, ya’ll can’t get past that
I’m leading these rhymes in a lyrical exodus
it takes more than flashy flows to come next to this
concentration deep, seems effortless
most can’t F with this
after I’m gone you’ll be left with this
thought-provoking, soul invoking
lyrical brainstorm that gets you open
a token of my appreciation
for hip hop, I add to the conversation
contrary to the self-deprecation
I’m urging humanity to stand as a nation
thru hip hop, I stand for unification
salavation; ain’t no time for move fakin’

Ain’t no time to pretend, it’s 2010
My man FELN it’s 2000-Zen
So we create Zen in 2010
2000-Zen ‘till forever...

Alphabetics

Articulating Benevolence in my Character
Devoted to Excellence, I’m the Flow Guarantor
Haphazardly these Idiots try Jockin’ me
Karate Kick these Leeches Methodically
Neurotically Offended by Practical Questions
Rappers’ Stupidity causes more Tension
Unmentioned Veneration for the Wackness
Xenophobic Youths in the game too Zealous
spittin’ Abstract Bullshit that seems Copacetic
it’s Deranged how our Egocentric Faults are Genetic
Horrendous Impairments in our Judgments
Kamikaze Lemmings Living Lives that be Martyred for Nothing
Oppositional Positions that can’t Quell
the Reactive State of our Thoughts, I can Tell
Ultimately all Viciousness Will Weaken
I X-ray eXpanse of Years from my Zenith
Alphabetics…

Absolutely rappers Are, Awfully Arrogant
Bestowing their own Brand of Bullshit Belligerence
Consequently, the Crap is Concentrated
into Didactically Dated raps, Demonstrated
in an Ever-changing Era that Excludes an Equivalent
Feebly and Frantically we’re Frolicking so Frivolous
Giving up on our God-Given Gifts of Greatness
Holes in our Heads to Hear, instead we Hate this
Intelligence Inside us, Indicating
we should Jump with Jubilation
and the Knowledge of Kings
and Limit our Licentiousness
Moreover gotta Mention this
Nationalistic Narrative is a Negative
Only Obsequious Observers are Obsessed
with a Policy by which Possessions leave you Possessed
Quick-Release Self, it’s Two-Thousand and Ten
Unleash Vivacious Writtens to X-press Your Zen
Alphabetics…

Straight Talk

they say two things are certain in life: death and taxes
and neither one’s occurred to me yet
what beliefs are you living in that’s holding you back?
choose the way you view the world and find your own facts,
it’s like that
I see time spent complaining about the “the system” as worthless
I say fuck the system, pimp it, then use it for my own purpose
now don’t get it twisted,
my mission and my purpose is to get ya’ll uplifted,
because I’ve been gifted, and so have you been,
but ya’ll too busy acting like you’re victims of original sin
like suffering was pre-ordained to reign
like if you don’t struggle you ain’t real cuz you don’t know the pain
it’s insane
like tryna put a needle in a thin-vein and wondering why it don’t fit
instead of saying fuck it and just calling it quits,
what we really need to breed in our minds is a paradigm shift
but most don’t wanna hear that
rather smoke a blunt while swigging a beer back
although it might appear that I’m bringing fear back
I’m expressing my perspective, many can’t near that
inner-dwelling truth, we seldom revere that
claiming that we on the right course but we letting someone else steer that
so I’m asking you to take the time
to pay attention to the contents of your own mind
and you if disagree that’s fine,
but I’ma keep marching on this path of mine
and I’ll accept what I find
and if you grind, great – what are you grinding for?
what are you living for – is it worth dying for?
if you can’t answer that with an affirmative,
you should take a step back and find out what your purpose is
believe me, I’ve taken time for reflection
seen the deception and cleaned the infection
if I come off a little aggressive,
it’s ‘cause I can’t let you make a mockery out of my profession
rap is a tool, ya’ll use it like a weapon
lacking mental muscle, half-flexin
no cadences in with the vocal inflection
I’m developed with flow, ya’ll premature like c-sections
I won’t join your fan-page, I am not your bredrin
you got one style I got seven – hundred
my boiling point high like tungsten
ya’ll motherfuckers get burned easily like a Bunsen
you repping for the city? man, I question that assumption
you repping for yourself, and you don’t stand for NOTHIN!
talking that shit like the world owes you something
but what you owe to the world is something you ain’t confronting
and that’s the reason why you frontin’
but ya’ll a bunch of little Kanyes, I CAN’T TELL YOU NOTHIN!

Paradigm Shift

I’m not worried about the souls of artists
I’m worried ‘bout the people who don’t know what art is
perpetually living in these narrow definitions of life
but what’s life if the soul’s gone missing?
when the only focus is who’s bringing the cash in
that doesn’t leave a whole lot of room for passion
unless the passion is the paper,
in which case we made a mistake and we all caught the vapours
and that’s a topic that’s been touched on,
see I’m in love with hip hop, most of these rappers got a crush on
I bust on, these haters who be lusting for the glamour
line ‘em up like nails, and yes, I bring the hammer
like BANG BANG – I be doing the damn thang
a lot of ya’ll are talking but ain’t doing a damn thang
and it’s a damn shame cuz most of ya’ll are capable
but ya’ll be steady living your lives like they’re replaceable

We gotta get our perspectives right
yo we gotta start respecting life
instead of searching out a dime for a spliff
what we need to bring about is a paradigm shift

picture this: a parentless child, no role-model
liked to get buck-wild, became addicted to the bottle
growing not knowing who’s blood was flowing in his veins
couldn’t cope with all the pain, started smoking crack cocaine
found himself in alleyways
trying just to pass the days
prayed every night to God that in his sleep he’d pass away
but every day he woke up to another
day of living hell, wishing that he had a mother
or a father he could turn to
so vials he burned through
but the streets’ lessons he would learn through
every day the same, he got so sick of the sequence
took a detour, showed up at a 12-step meeting
somebody there shared about struggling and getting by
and for the first time in his life, he could identify
gradually the weight began to lift off his shoulder
life shifted its direction, now he’s 6 months sober

We gotta get our perspectives right
yo we gotta start respecting life
instead of searching out a dime for a spliff
what we need to bring about is a paradigm shift

We all got struggles man, we all go through it
so how come we acting like we the only ones that do it
like "you can’t feel my pain ‘cause my struggle’s so deep"
but we create reality through words that we speak
it’s like, to be strong that means help you can’t seek
we left dragging our asses through the week,
now that’s weak
nobody makes it on their own, no matter what they say
so I got principles that on the mic I must obey
since ya’ll listening it’s my responsibili-tay
to hit you with some rhymes that might make you live your life today
and I’m alright today,
so I’ma write today,
something you can vibe to in the times that I’m away
if my rhymes ain’t influencing you
then I’m failing in the mission I was sent to do
cuz I already see my path, this was meant for you
this is life, the only one that can commence it is you

We gotta get our perspectives right
yo we gotta start respecting life
instead of searching out a dime for a spliff
what we need to bring about is a paradigm shift

Tell You Something

my third eye pierce through the lies like a gamma-ray
I hover over all these suckas like a manta-ray
I’m the sting-ray to ya’ll Steve Irwins
straight to the heart of the matter from which I burgeon
which mean I’m growing, they slowing, I’m not concerned with
these prostitute rappers acting like they flow virgins
you think you know rap, this a different version
where lyricism counts, like Kweli, packing my words in

so either stand tall otherwise be duckin’ me
I ain’t about to waste my time on bull-fuckery
so many say they gifted
but do they make a difference?
are they taking action or paralyzed by indecision?
a lot of ya’ll hesitate to make moves
not even on the court, you’re still up in the locker room
my team don’t even question me and what I got to do
they know that I’m focused, manifesting what is possible

steady dropping you
rhymes philosophical
embodying the very definition of unstoppable
I dropped the Foundations, some of ya’ll copped a few
some of ya’ll didn’t, that’s alright – I’m not watching you
hip hop’s been lacking in integrity
the genomes been cloned, I bring an original pedigree
this is my culture, I refuse to let it be
taken over and sodomized by the inequities
that I see, in front of me, I can’t ignore it
I wish that I could walk away from the ignorance
but then I’d be ignorant, so I gotta face forward
we all gotta die someday, some of ya’ll race for it
life I got a taste for it, so I’m not wasting it
(you) wanna see my origins, I’ll show you where the basement is
now I’m on stage with it, following my passions
now I’m steady taking what’s mine, I’m done asking

Like it or not, I’m here to tell you something
most of ya’ll talk but ain’t saying nothing
rappers spit empty words with no substance
so I feel obliged to say something